Complaint Review: Banfield Vet

My dog was really sick so I had on recommendation from a friend taken him to Banfield, as on that day I was broke and had to borrow the money for the office visit from a friend. Anyhow, we got to the office and the pet tech spoke with me and then the vet came in. Told me that the biggest problem that needed to be addressed is the severe dehydration.

I had initially believed that he had a blockage because he loved to eat stuff around the house and normally never had a problem passing stuff(he would always find a way to find this stuff no matter how well we kept things off the floor). Anyways, she suspected it was indeed a blockage but that the first form of treatment would be a 24 hour hospital stay with IV fluids.

She said that it should help with him feeling better and possibly being able to pass the object. Anyhow, by this point he was extremelly weak and had been vomiting up brown substance. (While in the office he vomited and fell to the floor). As I had explained to her that because of the tight finances this week I would not be able to pay for any other services until friday and she referred me to the Latham office as they do payment plans.

I had her call the Latham office to ensure that they would indeed work with me as I didn't want to travel all over with my really sick dog. She said that they would indeed work with me, so I made the trip and vet there agreed with the first diagnosis. Here is the fun part, because I couldn't give them 100.00 that day they refused any kind of treatment, and the vet said to me"take the dog home and see what happens until friday, then bring him back".

UNBELIEVABLE! Since when does money take precedence over the patient and I said as much. They didn't care. They sent me home with a sick dog, without a care in the world for them. 2 1/2-3 hours after I got home he died.
I have never seen the like of this and am absolutely abhorred at this behavior. I think that something needs to be done about these people.

Seems they could of atleast given him some pain meds or something to make him comfortable. And the really sad thing is that I normally don't have a problem taking care of my animals needs vet or otherwise but with hours being cut at my job and hubby's it just got a little tight this week. And I don't understand how they could just turn away a patient knowing how sick they are. They obviously don't care at all about the animals, only when there is a buck going in there pocket.

And oh yeah after I got home I was trying to locate an emergency vet hospital, but for some reason I had really hard time finding one. Then when I realized he wasn't going to make it my main concern was trying to make him comfortable and spend his last moments with me petting, talking and comforting him.

Bobbi
clifton park, New York
U.S.A.